Finally Some Homemade Mayonnaise!

Plus some lemon juice and/or vinegar, a little dijon mustard and 3/4 cup of oil. Oh, and a whisk and some elbow grease. I still can’t believe how easy it was to make!

I’ve been in denial about homemade mayonnaise for a long time now. I’ve read a million different recipes and even seen videos. But for some reason I thought that there had to be some trick that no one was telling me. I didn’t believe that it could really be that easy.

I mean, if it were that easy, someone in my family would have made it before. Right? At some point in my 32 years of life on this planet, someone I know would have made homemade mayonnaise if it were such a simple and delicious thing to do.

Well, I guess everyone in my family has been in homemade mayonnaise denial too, because it really is simple to make.

And, it’s absolutely delicious!

Mayonnaise is one of those things I’ve been meaning to experiment with for some time. But it wasn’t until I went out to breakfast with Amanda and discussed things like bacon (and how there’s no such thing as too much bacon) and the importance of homemade mayonnaise, that I decided it was finally time. Amanda assured me that it isn’t difficult to make mayo from scratch and that once I try it, I’ll never want it any other way. I believed her because, well, you’ve seen her food, right?

Coincidentally, the new Bon Appetit arrived in my mailbox a few days later and Molly’s column just happened to be about the joys of homemade mayonnaise. I decided that it must be a sign and I headed to the kitchen determined to coax some mayonnaise-like substance out of one of those eggs sitting in the fridge.

Since the ingredients consist only of egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, and salt, I figured I was pretty much good to go. But it turned out that for once in my life, I did not have any lemons on hand. So, I just substituted vinegar. I wasn’t too concerned about the flavor being perfect because I was still somewhat convinced that my first attempt would be a disaster.

I separated my egg, whisked in a little vinegar, mustard and salt then started adding the oil drop by drop. This was the part that had always mystified me. I was never sure how you could ‘pour’ the oil in a drop at a time. But Molly solved that problem by advising me to use a 1/4 teaspoon measure to add the first 1/4 cup of oil a few drops at a time. It worked perfectly!

Now I’m not going to lie. My arm got pretty tired after a few minutes of steady whisking. So I just took a break every now and again. But the whole process still only took about 10 or 15 minutes. And the end result was way better than I had anticipated.

It looked like mayonnaise!

It was silky and thick and a nice shade of pale yellow. If mayo can be described as beautiful, that’s what it was!

But the best part was the taste. Even without the lemon juice, the flavor was much better than my beloved Best Foods mayonnaise (or Hellman’s depending on which part of the country you live). I can’t wait to try it again with lemon juice. And again with fresh herbs. And again with garlic and olive oil. And again and again and again!

I’m sure that I’m one of the last few foodbloggers to make my own mayonnaise. But I’m also sure that there are many of you out there who are just like me, waiting for that little nudge to get out that whisk and give it a try for the first time. So I’m here to tell you that now is the time!

Now go make some mayonnaise!

Molly’s column, titled “Mayo Clinic” can be seen in the April 2008 issue of Bon Appetit and the recipe can now be found on Epicurious. But there are tons of mayonnaise recipes out there for you to peruse. Here are a few that look temping!

I forgot to mention that I used grapeseed oil for this mayo. Molly's recipe used canola oil but I think any neutral-flavored oil would work. And if you want to go for a different flavor, you could use olive oil.

thanks for all of the awesome words of kindness! :-) i can't wait to see the flavored mayos you start busting out here soon. (it's inevitable now that you've broken the mayo seal!) adding the oil a 1/4 tsp at a time sounds incredibly challenging and time consuming to me! i don't know if i have the patience for all of that, but hey! it is a good way to measure out a drop at a time.

No, you're not the last blogger to lose their homemade mayonnaise virginity. I keep meaning to whip up a batch to pair with french fries as a Pulp Fiction homage.And you're right about Amanda's food. I have pangs of jealousy every time I click on whatwereeating.com!

In Spain, where some theories claim mayonnaise (or mahonesa, from the city of Mahón) was born, it is very common to everyhousehold to prepare their own mayonnaise. I think the most popular version around here is: 0'4º (acidity degrees) olive oil, egg, lemon juice, salt. Then if you add 1/2 garlic clove it turns into a delicious aioli (alioli) to go both with meat, fish or rice (like paella!!) It's easy to made it by hand, but it's even easier to make it with an electrical mixer (not a food processor). Simly pour the egg and half the oil (100 to 200 cc)and start whisking (with the blade right at the bottom of the cup) until it mixes and emusifies, then start pulling upwards (very very slowly...did I say VERY slowly) and that's it! Then add salt and lemon to taste and more oil to correct texture (30 seconds???).
There is a funny urban myth about women mayonnaise and "those days". I remember, as a teenager, my mum would always tell me to prepare mayonnaise on "those days", until one day I told her to stand right by my side...and I made a wonderful mayonaise, thus destroying the myth ;)Love the egg-motion series.

We made mayonnaise in high school chemistry. I can't remember what we were studying at the time, but I never tasted the mayo because it kind of grossed me out - raw eggs and all. But these days, I'll gladly try homemade mayo, although I've never made it myself!

You've convinced me too. I did this once as a kid with my mother, but I have recollection on the taste.Now that you've made mayonnaise, it's time to try White BBQ Sauce.
http://whitetrashbbq.blogspot.com/2006/08/bbq-recipes-big-bob-gibsons-white.html

I read that article from Molly, too, and although I was tempted to make it it, I guess deep inside I was waiting for another person to try it first. Haha. I think I just got my push to try it. Thanks!!! It looks great, by the way. And I wouldn't doubt that it tastes better than the store-bought mayo.

BrooklynQ: How did you know that I've been researching White BBQ Sauce?? Seriously. I was already at your site checking it out the other day and I'm planning on trying some grilled chicken with white bbq sauce soon. Check back in a couple weeks for the post! :-)HoneyB: I didn't use a pasteurized egg but I did make sure it was fairly fresh. I don't worry too much about raw eggs because then I wouldn't be able to eat cookie dough! :-) If you are concerned and especially if you have a compromised immune system then give it a try with a pasteurized egg!Joy: Well now you don't have any more excuses :-)

Learning to make homemade mayonnaise like this was a rite of passage in my family.
My daughter will be taught this on vacation at the beach. Just like I was.
Yes, your arm gets tired. But it's worth it.
Beautiful post.
Mary

Oh yum, look at how beautifully creamy that looks! Mayo is one of those things on my to-do list that I'm yet to muster the courage for, but after such a stunning review, I guess I'll have to give it a shot!

Of course, I read this *after* I just picked up a small jar at the grocery store. I don't usually eat it, and since I'm the only one in the house who does at all, it's not something I typically have on hand. (I know, I'm strange.) But if this is all there is to it, in the future I'd rather just save the space in the fridge & make my own as needed.Thanks for posting this!

Welcome to the Homayonaisse world! I whip up a batch in the food processor twice a month or so. If you're using the food processor, double the recipe and use 2 whole eggs ( the lecithin in the egg whites helps the emulsion handle the violence of the food processor) . I toss in some Tabasco sauce for kick!

This always makes me smile, sorry. I come from the other side of the Atlantic (Belgium) and after "how to bake an egg", this is the first recipe kids learn to do. It is so ridiculously easy to do and so much better tasting than anything you can buy in store. And, it is so quick to do too. And, it is the best condiment for your fries! :)

Sounds easy and uncomplicated...definitely worth a try!I would however use pasteurized shell eggs (have P markings on shell) for recipes like this (wherein eggs are not cooked) just to be on the safe side. Eggs are a notorious source of food-borne illnesses. Inconvenient really as these type of eggs are double the prize of regular shell eggs and are not as readily available in most stores as their counterpart. But salmonella is not very pretty to deal with!

I used a fresh local farm egg and made the mayonnaise this evening! It was great over our salmon. Now here's the scary question... with raw egg yolk, how long will it keep? There's a difference between being willing to risk eating a fresh raw farm egg and being stupid.

Oh my dear, you have another mayo virgin in the house. I read your blog and decided to make some for the first time. I used my Kitchen Aid mixer with the whisk attachment. Then, finished with the immersion blender. It was so totally good I almost wept. Many thanks to Molly. I do believe we just gave Hellman's a run for their money. I will be adding a post to my blog in the near future and I'd like to reference Molly's recipe and your blog site. Is that okay?This is so bacon worthy that I am cooking bacon and BLT's are for lunch. Thank you again for the encouragement to create good food. Nella, a devout foodie

Nella: Good idea using the mixer! I tried using the whisk attachment on my immersion blender but it didn't work out too well! I've decided to keep doing it by hand and see if I can build up some strength. ;-) Of course you're more than welcome to reference my site in your post. The last time I made mayo, we tried it out on BLT's and it was great! Thanks for the comment, it made my day!

If you have one of those tall long electric blenders it takes all of 1 minute to make mayo. It doesn't have to be wisked by hand. In Spain we routinely made fresh mayo at a moments notice. Although I am partial to the taste of Olive oil as a base. It can be made with just about any oil or other flavorful ingredients once the oil and egg has firmed up. Just don't OVER blend either, once it is firm, wisk in other ingredients gently and slowly. With a little practice and the electic hand beater (such as this kind: http://tinyurl.com/4cz83v) making mayo is a quick flick of the wrist and you are done.My favorite recipe for homemade mayo:
Olive Oil based fresh mayo with fresh chopped garlic added in, served with large cubed boiled potatoes. I always like to add a couple of bay leaves to the boiling water for flavor.Typical tapa at any bar or restaraunt...Patatas aji-oli.Thanks for a great site.Soul Medic

I just found this blog, and this post. My first mayo attempt was absolutely delicious! I used a bit too much olive oil in my mix (2:1 canola:olive) but I was making egg salad, so the flavor is actually quite nice... perhaps not so much olive oil for my next BLT-bound mayo. ;-) What a great blog find, thank you so much!

We were just having this talk over at cookthink.com--some things are NOT worth making yourself, but mayo isn't one of them. Check it out:http://www.cookthink.com/reference/30/Homemade_mayo:_worth_itGlad to see someone else is spreading the homemade may gospel

Homemade mayo recipes seem to be popping up everywhere this summer! There's really nothing like the taste of homemade cooking, be it anything from condiments to chocolate chip cookies. We tried our hand at a French-inspired version over here at Kitchen Caravan. Yum!

until last night I had never made mayonnaise...I picked a tomato and fresh basil from the garden, Niman ranch bacon I was all set to make a great BBT...(bacon, basil and tomato) sandwich when I realized that I had no mayo… can't have a BBT without mayo... I did not want to drive to the store...I thought... I'll just whip some up. I got on the internet found a recipe...I did not whisk it I used my vita mix on the lowest setting it took about 5 minutes. It was so much better then store bought !!. I was so excited about how delicious it was and how easy it is to make... why would I ever buy it again...then it occurred to me that it had no preservatives and may not keep...does anyone know how long it will last in a jar in the refrigerator???

I love homemade mayonnaise. I use a recipe that incorporates coconut oil and olive oil together. I wanted to note for those concerned about how long this mayonnaise will keep, alot of people consider the heat produced from blending enough to effectively pasteurize the egg, and have kept homemade around for up to 2 weeks with no concern. The last recipe I tried had a note that by adding 1 Tablespoon of whey you could keep it for up to a month. Not that homemade mayo would ever last that long in this house, but I used it anyway! The digestive benefit certainly couldn't hurt!

wow. is there anything you can't make that doesn't look totally scrumptous? you need your own show LOL! Maybe I can save some dough on mayonaise buying doing this at home. Ingredients are so simple! Why buy when you can have fresh? thanks! I'm So for better health and cutting down store bought packaged foods as much as possible. looks like a tasty recipe.

Researched some bad stuff on Soy so I decided to make my own mayo too. I've collected quite a few homemade mayo recipes online. I was a bit concerned about using raw eggs then I found a recipe from Egg Beaters. I'm going to try making a lighter version using just the Egg Beaters All Whites. It will be higher in protien and less fat. I also use Extra Light olive oil. I may try Sunflower oil too. I don't know who "Molly" is, but someone needs to tell her to do some research on CANOLA OIL. It is GM Rapeseed Oil. The word "Canola" was a name design for this oil. The "CAN" for Canadian, (that country's cash crop), "O" for Oil and "LA " for low acid. This acid is poisonous to humans. I have been checking the Hellmans and Kraft mayo labels for the past few years. They advertise it's made with Olive oil but they also contain other oils that they keep changing (Soybean and Canola). I found Rapeseed oil in Jiff Peanut Butter to Go. This oil dosen't sound tasty to me. Can you think of other plants that are poisonous to humans? I can think of three, like Ivy, Oak and Sumac. What will these manufacturers think of next...? Good Luck with your Mayo making...

Try horsey mustard (specifically Beer & Brat by Silver Springs) or wasabi powder for the dry mustard, and/or nori flakes for the salt (quite low in sodium)--MAGNIFICENT!!I've been using Hellmann's Canola Mayo, lemon juice, black pepper, sugar, mustard (any type), and water to make a salad dressing, but now I'm going to start making it from scratch mayo.Maybe some Vitamin E in the mix would help preserve it longer than a week? I'll try squirting a Vit E cap into the next batch to see.

I used that hand held blender with that small disk with some slots to mix air easily - Thunder Stick Pro, just put the whole egg at the bottom of container, add all the oil immediately and whip it up! it quickly builds the fluffy stuff and then add the other ingredients (what every you prefer, lots of different recipes ive seen) as you go along. Very quick and easy - done in about 2 minutes. I add some black pepper to taste - i saw it done in one Italian restaurant when they whipped it out in front of us. I was fascinated ever since.

I've been making my own mayo for a while and I have found that using an immersion blender with the regular blending attachment works beautifully and you can whip up a cup or so of perfect mayonnaise in seconds. I use olive oil, coconut oil, hemp oil and flax oil for great nutrition and none of those pesky toxic problems you get with typical, common oils. I wish everyone knew how quick and easy it is to make your own truly healthy mayo.Also, raw eggs aren't as dangerous as we've been taught. If you get fresh eggs and/or organic eggs as fresh as possible there is no danger. All that scare tactic meant to get us afraid of raw eggs has been promoted by the FDA to cover the rear ends of those who practice very unhealthy factory farming--that is, most all the typical eggs that you find in the grocery stores. Even those inferior eggs will most likely not cause any problems but to be on the safe side choose organic and/or local and you don't have to worry.I eat raw eggs every day and I don't even keep them refrigerated; never have. But then, I get my eggs from my neighbor! Real eggs aren't scary.

it is really easy...I use my vitamix on a low speed..the first thing I learned was...ONE DROP OF OIL AT A TIME...UNTIL THE EGG
AND OIL EMULSIFY... also I prefer the flavor of lemon to vinegar and I read that the enzymes in lemons eliminate the risks associated with raw eggs

I'm chiming in again with a little repeat in case you missed it. If you use an immersion blender then you don't have to do the tiny stream or "one drop at a time" thing which, I think, is very tedious and even difficult. You have to remember to put the oil/fat in first. and the liquid acid ingredient (vinegar and/or lemon juice) in last. I always dissolve the salt and a tiny bit of sugar in the liquid before putting it in.I put an egg yolk in the bottom of the jar, then dump in the oil all at once then, quickly, pour in the a acid liquid. Quickly submerge the business end of the blender ALL THE WAY to the bottom and THEN pull the trigger. Begin to slowly, evenly lift the blender. You should see a thickening happening. When you get near the top you can push the blender back down just a little bit or tilt it just a little bit to get the last of the oil incorporated. Or don't bother, just stir it in afterwards.If it doesn't work, (stays a liquid) don't throw it away. Keep it to make salad dressing--the addition of some vinegar and a little more salt will make a salad yummy. Once in a very great while my mayo doesn't work. Everything should be at room temp or colder when you start. If you have to liquefy olive oil or coconut oil just be sure they are not actually warm when you start.Gosh, I hope this helps someone. I get many compliments for my homemade mayo.

For those of you worried about the raw egg, (which by the way, you have every reason to be the way the food industry treats are food these days), I've learned in my Culinary class how to cook the eggs just enough to kill any traces of salmonella. You can either put the yolks over a double boiler and cook for about 3minutes or put them directly into a pan on low heat and cook them for about a minute, making sure to whisk so you don't scramble the egg.

It's true, factory farmed eggs are worth worrying about. I'm talking about the ones that are commonly found in supermarkets. However. I only use fresh, pasture raised chicken eggs or my own backyard, pasture raised duck eggs and I don't ever keep them refrigerated. They last...well, I don't actually know but I've had them sitting in the basement for a month and they were just fine. Salmonella is only a risk with store-bought eggs and even then it's a small risk but yuck, once you've had a real fresh egg from a happy, healthy bird you'll never want to go back to those crummy ones again. And the mayo? My homemade mayo is still good after a month even if I take it somewhere and it gets warm and separates. I just bring the leftover stuff home, put it in the fridge to let it get cold then take it out and give it a stir. It's as good as new!I think we've been made afraid of real food by the food manufacturers who love to see us throw away food and buy more. Grrrrrrr.

Oh, I forgot to mention. I eat raw eggs all the time. One of my go-to "instant breakfasts" is eggnog made with raw egg and raw milk. I add a bit of nutmeg, some maple syrup and vanilla extract. Oh, oh so good! If I like I can throw in some protein powder but really, who needs it?And btw; I'm 66 years old and have been doing this crazy stuff all my life. I am totally prescription drug free and plan on staying that way; yessir! Real food will keep you healthy.

[...] recipes require and started looking to see if it could be done without it. I struck up a post on PinchMySalt.com on just that subject. So I pulled out the whisk and got to work. Some significant amount of whisking [...]